Lions Ninth Inning Rally Grounds Owls, 5-4

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State senior Ryan Donahue (Medfield, Mass.) fired six strong innings, but a three-run ninth inning rally from Penn. St.-Behrend ultimately downed the Owls 5-4 on day two of the team's spring break trip from Fort Pierce, Florida on Saturday morning.

The Owls fall to 5-2 on the season and 1-1 on the Florida trip. The Lions improve to 6-3 on the year.

Leading 4-2 entering the ninth inning, the Lions mounted a three-run rally, drawing three walks to trim the deficit to one run before Dylan Barnes (Pittsburgh, Pa.) rapped a two-run double to plate the tying and winning runs.

Westfield built up a three-run lead after five innings, getting run-scoring hits from Chase Racine (Pittsfield, Mass.) in the opening frame, then Devin Slattery (Ware, Mass.) and Nolan Florence (Chicopee, Mass.) in the fifth to open up a 3-0 lead.

Donahue was lights out through the first five frames, not allowing a hit while one Lions runner reached base via error. In the sixth inning, a leadoff single by Silvio Ionadi (Pittsburgh, Pa.) snapped the no-hit bid, sparking a rally that saw the Lions cut the Owls lead to one run after a two-out, two-RBI single from Mac Ciocco (Venetia, Pa.).

Donahue forced a flyout to right field to escape the jam, finishing the afternoon with a quality start of six innings, allowing just two runs on two hits with eight strikeouts and two walks.  

Racine added a fourth run for the Owls in the ninth inning for his second RBI of the day, but were unable to hold off a ninth inning rally from the Lions.

Lions reliver Will Jamison (Shaler, Pa.) picked up the win after giving up one run over the final three innings, punchout out four. Sam Palmer (Medfield, Mass.) took the loss in the ninth for the Owls.

Westfield State will be right back in action tomorrow as the Owls face Gettysburg from Lawnwood Park in Fort Pierce, Florida for a 10:00 A.M. first pitch.